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``Bridge to Terabithia'' (PG, 1 hr., 36 min.)
This story of a deep, nurturing friendship between an artistic fifth-grader from a poor rural family and the new city girl in his school could move kids 8 and older much as Katherine Paterson's beloved 1977 book does. But the film's gritty, heart-tugging naturalistic scenes lose their punch when interspersed with imaginary sequences, as visualized by director (and special effects maven) Gabor Csupo. These have the same emotionally numbing style that mars much of ``Arthur and the Invisibles'' (PG, 2006, still in theaters). In the book, when Jess (Josh Hutcherson) and Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) leave their everyday lives and swing across that creek on a rope, they transform the woods into a magical place, the kingdom of Terabithia, with their minds alone. In the film (scripted in part by the novelist's son David Paterson), alas, the woodland morphs into a world of cold, computer-generated techno-art. Trying to visualize Terabithia's swooping furry vultures, giant lumbering trolls, feisty, armored attack squirrels (some with faces resembling bullies from school) can't help but disappoint. (The tree that turns into a troll is cool, though.)
In addition to the imaginary critters flying at our fifth-grade heroes when in Terabithia (which could scare some kids under 8), the film shows adults using low-level profanity and a few kid-scuffles with bloody noses. There are also verbal references to a girl bully whose father hits her, and kids talk frankly about religion. WARNING -- PLOT GIVEAWAY: Most important is the major loss that Jess must deal with in the film's last act. It becomes the central theme in retrospect.
The story has been moved up to the present day. Jess loves to paint, but his tired mom (Kate Butler) and affection-withholding dad (Robert Patrick) don't encourage it and seem either to ignore or criticize him while doting on his sisters. (Jess is close to little May Belle, played by adorable Bailee Madison.) His home situation has Jess in a kind of depression until he meets Leslie, the daughter of writers with money who move into an old house nearby. Leslie encourages his art and together they ``discover'' Terabithia and face down the bullies at school. Jess learns that friends and special teachers can change your life forever.
P.S. FOR TEENS: There are many films that deal with life as seen through the eyes of a kid -- especially one experiencing some kind of loss, such as the death of a family member or a friend, or being rejected by someone they love. If you're starting to get interested in films from around the world, check out the Swedish film, ``My Life As A Dog'' (PG-13, 1985), about a little boy sent to live with relatives because his mother is ill. Much of the film is really funny in a quiet way, but parts of it are sad.
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``Music and Lyrics'' (PG-13, 1 hr., 36 min.)
At last! A romantic comedy with bite and wit that doesn't make a longtime filmgoer want to run screaming into the lobby. Even teens who may see star Hugh Grant as ridiculously old (he's over 40!) will laugh at ``Music and Lyrics,'' thanks to writer/director Marc Lawrence's smart script and the invaluably sunny presence of Drew Barrymore. And Grant -- he of the flawless comic timing and genial willingness to make a fool of himself -- will impress a few middle- and high-schoolers with his touching portrait of a former 1980s pop icon. Teens who like music from their parents' youth and don't mind seeing today's pop stars spoofed will like the movie even more. The opening sequence, with Grant swiveling his hips in an ancient music video, is absolutely hilarious and what follows doesn't disappoint.
There is an implied overnight tryst between the leads, though all we see is kissing and morning-after snuggling. Other sexual innuendo exists mostly in the form of dance moves. The script contains occasional mild profanity and verbal references to drugs. There is a funny description of a contemporary pop artist's latest video as looking like an ``orgasm set to the 'Gandhi' soundtrack.''
Former 1980s pop hunk Alex Fletcher (Grant) has accepted with good humor a midlife career performing at state fairs and high-school reunions. Invited to appear on ``Battle of the '80s Has-Beens'' is too much, though, even for him. A better invitation comes along in the form of a Britney-esque pop star (Haley Bennett) holding a competition to find a new ``retro'' song for herself. She asks Alex to try to write music again, but he needs a lyricist. Enter ditzy former creative writing student, Sophie Fisher (Barrymore), who appears at Alex's apartment as a substitute plant waterer. She shows a natural ability to rhyme and put words to music, so he cajoles her into doing the project. Both characters' insecurities make their collaboration and eventual romance funny, heartening and human.
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BEYOND THE RATINGS GAME
-- 8 AND OLDER:
``Bridge to Terabithia'' PG (NEW) (Touching story (based on Katherine Paterson's 1977 young people's novel) about a deep friendship between fifth-graders Jess (Josh Hutcherson), an artistic kid from a poor rural family that ignores him, and Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb), a free-spirited daughter of rich writers who move nearby; Leslie and Jess create their own fantasy world, Terabithia, in the woods; they feed their imaginations and face down school bullies; film's gritty naturalism marred by attempt to visualize Terabithia with drab computer animation. Under-8s may be scared by Terabithia's swooping furry vultures, giant trolls, armored attack squirrels, a huge tree that turns into a troll (pretty cool); adults use mild profanity; a few kid-scuffles with bloody noses; verbal references to a girl whose dad hits her; kids talk about religion; WARNING -- PLOT GIVEAWAY: central theme in film's last act about grief and loss.)
-- PG-13s AND A PG DOCUMENTARY MORE FOR TEENS:
``Music and Lyrics" (NEW) (Smart, hilarious, humane, wonderfully performed and visualized romantic comedy about a washed-up former '80s pop star (Hugh Grant, in fine form) who teams with a ditzy former writing student (ebullient Drew Barrymore) to create a new anthem for a Britney-esque teen icon (Haley Bennett); it's a big chance, but the pair's insecurities and eventual romantic involvement thicken the plot -- though not much; riotous spoofs of pop music and music videos past and present. Implied overnight tryst shows kissing and morning-after snuggling; other sexual innuendo in the form of dance moves; occasional mild profanity; verbal references to drugs; comic description of a pop artist's latest video looking like an ``orgasm set to the 'Gandhi' soundtrack.'')
``Norbit'' (Crass, crude, politically incorrect but often funny farce celebrating Eddie Murphy's ability to bring wildly diverse characters to life under mountains of makeup; Norbit (Murphy), a bespectacled milquetoast married to big, mean Rasputia (also Murphy), finds gumption to stand up to her and her thuggish family after his lovely childhood pal from the orphanage (Thandi Newton) moves back to town. Much sexual innuendo, including mean, lurid views of Rasputia in a bikini, the tub or in bed; all outfits clearly outline her breasts; nongraphic jokes refer to bedroom antics, the size of a little boy's penis, pimps (played by Eddie Griffin and Katt Williams), prostitutes, condoms; threats of violence, comical fights; middling profanity (lots of rhymes-with-witch and the S-word); sexual language; ethnic stereotyping; Rasputia drives over a dog on purpose; we next see the pooch wearing wheels to get around; Rasputia tells kids, ``Don't think I won't kill a child''; flatulence jokes. Iffy for middle-schoolers.)
``The Messengers'' (Baldly derivative but nicely filmed and acted, largely nongory ghost thriller about a couple (Dylan McDermott and Penelope Ann Miller) who bring their sad, sullen teen daughter (Kristen Stewart) and non-speaking toddler son (Evan Turner) to a North Dakota farm to start anew after the daughter messed up in the city; soon the boy and his sister start to see scary things in the house -- zombie-like ghosts, skittering creatures; the girl raises an alarm, but no one believes her. Absence of graphic violence will please some teens, disappoint others; climactic attacks by a killer brandishing a pitchfork, desiccated, veiny-faced spirits lurking, scurrying, hanging from the ceiling; crows swarm and attack; rare profanity; mild sexual innuendo; verbal references to teen drinking, self-mutilation. Some middle-schoolers may find film unsettling.)
``Because I Said So'' (Diane Keaton burbles irritatingly as an incredibly meddlesome single mom who secretly advertises on the Internet to find a mate for her still-single, slightly scattered youngest (Mandy Moore) in an overwrought, overdecorated, painfully contrived comedy; the daughter dallies with the snooty architect Mom chooses (Tom Everett Scott) and a cute musician (Gabriel Macht) not on the list. Numerous oblique but unmistakable euphemistic references to sexual practices, female organs, uncircumcised men; a lengthy, though rather prim discussion of orgasms; other cruder sexual language; a little boy innocently names male and female organs and asks to see a woman's; nonexplicit sexual situations; female character juggles affairs with two men; implied nudity; sounds of sex from a porn Web site; rare profanity; a dog trying to mate with an ottoman; drinking. Not for middle-schoolers.)
``Epic Movie'' (Occasionally funny, mostly laborious spoof of recent fantasy hits, including ``Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''(PG, 2005), ``The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' (PG, 2005); likely to amuse pop-culture and irony-loving high-school and college kids. Four ``orphans'' played by adults (Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, Jayma Mays, Faune A. Chambers) win golden tickets to visit a candy factory; then it's off to a magical woodland, a pirate ship, etc. Constant crude sexual innuendo, often merging into sexual language; women in bikinis move suggestively; jokes about drugs for erectile dysfunction, about men mating with goats; a dead cat on a plate; a woman falling out of a plane; crazed candy maker yanks out someone's heart; hints he'd like to molest, then kill and cook the ``orphans''; references to gang violence; drinking; toilet humor; snakes; middling profanity. Too lewd for middle-schoolers.)
-- AN ARTY R:
``Breaking and Entering'' (LIMITED RELEASE) (Gracefully filmed, emotionally intricate, socially aware drama by writer/director Anthony Minghella (``The English Patient'' R, 1996), rises above some, but not all, cliches of its genre -- films about progressive, arty Londoners with too much time to brood; Jude Law as an architect who becomes involved with the immigrant mother (Juliette Binoche) of a teen (Rafi Gavron) who burglarized his business; Robin Wright Penn as his depressive, still beloved companion; Poppy Rogers as the troubled daughter they fuss over. Nudity, including brief female frontal; prostitute character; not-quite explicit but strongly implied sexual situations; some sexual language; infidelity theme; child in physical danger; profanity; ethnic slur. Ideal for college film buffs.)
(c) 2007, Washington Post Writers Group |
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